Thursday, October 28, 2010

European Starlings

European Starling  Sturnus vulgaris


It was a windy, cold, Winter-storm sort of day here yesterday.  By afternoon, six European Starlings had joined the resident birds (Blue Jays, Eurasian Collared Doves, House Finches, House Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Common Grackles, Hairy Woodpeckers) at the feeding locations.  The birds pictured above are in non-breeding plumage.
Although there are approximately 200 million starlings in North America, they are all descendants of approximately 60 birds released in 1890 in Central Park, New York, by Eugene Schieffelin, who was a member of the Acclimation Society of North America reputedly trying to introduce to North America every bird species mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare.  (from Wikipedia)

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